Valentin Ickelsamer (Ickelsheimer) was an early Protestant-spiritualist opponent of Luther and defender of Karlstadt, studied at the University of Wittenberg. He was the author of the book, Klag etlicher Brüder an die Christen von der grossen . . . Tyranney, so Endressen Bodensteyn von Karlstadt jetzt von Luther . . . geschieht (1525), an original and courageous book which sharply attacked Luther and defended Karlstadt. In consequence of this book he suffered a lengthy imprisonment, during which he asked Luther's pardon, which was granted through the mediation of Justus Menius. This book is reprinted in Flugschriften aus der Ref.-Zeit, No. X (Halle, 1893). Later, as a follower of Schwenckfeld, he became involved in a dispute with Pilgram Marpeck in 1542 (Beiträge, 278; Loserth,58, 426). That he was an Anabaptist and a leader of the Peasants' Revolt, as Elector John of Saxony wrote in a letter dated 27 March 1530, and as Jacobs (429) and Wappler (91) also thought, is most unlikely; the elector offers no evidence for the statement. (The letter is found in Einicke, 416 f.) In his book of 1525 Ickelsamer does not mention the Anabaptists; nevertheless it must be admitted that the spirit of the "fanatics" of all kinds, so violently suppressed by Luther, is brought to clear expression in the book. Having studied in Wittenberg he was well aware of the weaknesses in Lutheranism.